Combined reciprocating rotary engine.



C. J. LAKE. COMBINED REGIPROGATINGVROTARY BNGINE.

APPLIOATION PILED suma, 1911.

1,014,401 Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

UNTED srAT s PATENT OFFICE.

HRISTOPHEB J'. LARE, OF BRIDG-EPORT, CONNECTICUT.

OOMBNED RECIPBOCATING ROTARY ENGINE.

Speifleation of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 28, 1911. Serial No. 605,218.

. wheel in conjunction and coperation with the reciprocating piston actio In present engine practice the exhaust gases which represent a considerable portion of theheat energy are expended into the atmosphere as a total loss. The reciprocatng engine requires 'a fly wheel of considerable weight as a balancing efl ect "and to return the piston from the power stroke and compress the new charge` and-to Carry 'the piston over the center. The .said flywheeI has no part or efl'ect in adding power to the engine and thus its weight is a` dead loss except to balance the reciprocatng action, and is detrimental especially when used in such vehicles as automobiles, motor boats and more particularly in airships and flying machines where the elimination of all dead weghtis imperative.

Turbine engines of the explosive type where the explosions take place within or directly into a rotary wheel or motor, have been found unsatisfactory and impracticable owing to the sudden hammer-like kick or stroke of the explosions and the extreme high temperature of the'gases from 'which injury results to the motor if it be run at a moderate or workable speed, and whenrm at a very high speed excessive radiation is engendered and transmission means must be .employed to reduce the spieed for` general application which are ine cient and troublesome.

One object of this invention therefore is to obviate these difliculties by providing means to conserve and utilize the exhausting gases by directing and conveying them through a suitable conduit leading into a rotary wheel mounted upon the shaft, driven in common by the reciprocating parts of the engine and said rotary wheel.

Patented Jan. 9, ,1912.

'Another object of this invention is to 4 transmit the heat and velocity of the exhaust gases to a large Volume of atmospheric air in transit through a conduit having its open air intake end formed with a funnel shaped or enlarged .opening so as to take in a large Volume of atmospheric air which establishes an air current commensurate with the flow of -the expanding gases in its conduitwhere the air and gases intermingle and coperate as an elastic powerfluid to actuate and drive the rotary wheel to balance the reciprocatingpistons and augment thepower of the engine.-

Another object of ths invention is to obviate the necessity of the usual heavy balance wheel by providing a peculiar light;

weight Construction of a bladed wheel Ofsuchdesign that the elastic power fluid dis-1 charged ther'eon 'will have an open but interrupted passage through said' wheel whereby a series of distinct power impulses are given the wheel to cause it to revolve in correlation tothe motion given by the reciprocating pistons durihg the passage of the fluid current through the wheel to its final exhaust to the atmosphere. combination a particular advantage recu s to the engine as the powerful initial explosions are easier and better utilized through the piston cylinder and the secondary recurring energy .of this created elastic current ismore efficiently utilized through the rotary wheel. Thus the disadvantages of both isystems above enumerated are hereby overcome in the joint action described.

In the accompanyin drawings illustrating the invention in tie several figures in which like parts are similarly designated, Figurel is a side elevation of the engine. Fig. 2 is a plan View of same part of the exhaust conduit and part of the rotary wheel 'casing being shown in section. Fig. 3 an .end View of the rotary wheel. Fig. 4 s an end view of the engine. Fig. 5 is a sec- Vtional side view of the' rotary wheel.

"A designates the cylinders of a reciprocating explosive engine in which operate psto i necting rods a of WhlCh are connected to the -crank-shaft A mounted in the base A of the engine.

From the exhaust port of each cylinder A extends an exhaust ppe B whose outer ends terminate in angular discharge DOZZlBS B' which are' extended in the same In this novel (shown in dotted lines) the condirection so as to cause the' discharging gases from 'the cylinders to be directed and projected in the same path and as shown in the drawings toward the rear end of the engine. surrounding the discharge nozzles B' is a conduit C of substantially conical shape with its contracted air inlet end formed with a flaring mouth so that the projected exhaust gases will take in a large Volume of air and intermingle and impel it with corresponding velcity through. the

conduit. e v I The discharge end of the conduit C is connected to an inlet pipe D of a casin D' in which is mounted a rotary motor w eel E. The rotary motor wheel E is constructed .with a hub E' that is mounted upon the crank-shaft A of the engine and a flanged rim E that is connected to said hub by means of a central web E as shown. The flanges e of the rim E form an annular channel( Extending `inwardly from the .flange e throughout the said annular chan-.

nel are a series of curved blades E* which are so arranged with respect to each other I that as the incoming elastic fluid enters the annular passage from the inlet pipe Dit will first engage one blade and be directed therefrom on to the next preceding blade on the opposite side of the annular passage and t ence again to next precedingblade on the opposite side and' so on around the wheel untl the power fluid finall escapes through the exhaust pipe F exten ing from the casing D.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedi'ngly simple and highly eflicient engine, in which the exhaust gases are utilized as a power medium and which also permits of theuse of a light weight motor 'wheel in lieu of the heavy fl'y-wheels now employed thus particularly adapting the engine for such uses where light weights are essential.

`What I claim is 1. A combined reciprocating'rotary explosive engine, comprising a power cylinder, a power piston Operating therein, a crank-s'haft operatively connected to said piston, a rotary motor ,wheel carried by said shaft, a casing for 'said wheel, and-a conduit open at one end and having its opposite dischargingend connected to said casing for conveying the exhaust gasesfrom said power cylinder and drecting them upon said rotar motor wheel for rotating said wheel in coperation with said power piston.

2. A combined reciprocating rotary explosive engine, comprising 'a power cylinder, a power piston perating' therein, a crank-shaft operatively connected to .said piston, a rotary motor wheel carried by 'said shaft, a casin I having one en open to the atmosphere and its .opposite d'scharging end connected to said casing, for-'thpurpose specified, and

der having I working n sad cylinder, a. crank-shaft for said wheel, a 'conduit upon said rotary motor wheel,.said conduit being of gradually increasing diameter toward its discharge end and having a flaring 'air intake end, and means 'fordi ecting the gases escaping into sadconduit toward said' discharge end. i 4 v 4. A combined reciprocating rotary explosive engine, comprising a power cylinoperatively connected to said piston, a ro-' tary motor wheel carried by' said shaft, a

casing for said rotary motor wheel, a conduit for conveyin the gases escaping from said power cylin er and discharging them upon said rotary `motor wheel, said conduit being of increasing diameter toward its .discharge end and having an enlarged flaring open mouth at its opposite end, and a pipe extending from the exhaust port of said power cylinder into said conduit and having its outer end directed toward the discharge end of said conduit.

5. A combined reciprocating. rotary explosive engine, comprising a power cylinder having an exhaust port, a power piston working in said cylinder, a crank-shaft operatively connected to said piston, .a rotary motor wheel mounted upon said cranktshaft, said wheel having an annular channel in its periphery, and curved blades extending from the sides thereof into said channel,

i a casing for said rotary motor wheel, a' conduit for conveying the exhaust gases from J said power cylinder and directing them upon the periphery of said wheel, said conduit being open at one end and of gradually increasing diameter towardits opposite or discharge end and means for directing the gases escaping from said exhaust 'port into and toward the discharge end of said conduit. 5 V

6. In combination with a reciprocating 'explosive engine, a rotary motor mounted upon the power shaft of the engine, and a conduit for conve'ying the exhaust gases from the power cylinder 'and delivering them upon said rotary mptor, said conduit being open at one end whereby atmospheric -air is drawn into said conduit and delivered 'pon said 'rotary motor-by and. along with said gases.

'7, In combination a reciprocating, .explosive engine, a .rotary moto'r mounted an exhaust port, a power pston,

upon thepower shaft of the engine, a. -conduit fonconveying the exhaust gases' from the powe; cylnder of the engine and deliverng them upon said rotary motor, said conduit being open at one end and of gradually incr'easmg diameter toward its discharge end, and means within the Conduit 'for directing the gases escaping from said power cylinder toward the discharge end of' the Conduit whereby atnoherc air will be 10 drawn into and dscharge from said condit by and along with the gases.

. In testmony whereof I have aflixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses. CHRISTOPHER J. LAKE. witnesses:

M. D. BLONDEL, C. E. ADAM& 

